Canon City News

Economic Woes: Closures of long-standing businesses No. 5 story of the year

By Brandon Hopper

hopperb@canoncitydailyrecord.com

Posted:
12/26/2013 09:47:16 PM MST

Creekside Cinema was one of more than a dozen local businesses to close in 2013. (Brandon Hopper / Daily Record)

Royal Gorge Regional History Center and Museum's new dinosaur exhibit with the material from the Dinosaur Depot. The Dinosaur Depot was one of more than a dozen business closures that happened this year. (Jeff Shane / Daily Record)

Top 10 Stories of 2013

No. 10: Retail Marijuana Ordinances

No. 9: Councilman Michael 'Colby' Katchmar Trial

No. 8: Main Street Improvements

No. 7: Blossom Festival, St. Thomas More Celebrates 75th Anniversary

No. 6: Skyline Theater Goes Digital

No. 5: Economy Takes A Hit With Closures

No. 4: Saturday

No. 3: Monday

No. 2: Tuesday

No. 1: Wednesday

Describe 2013 how you want to, but it certainly wasn't a good year for Fremont County's economy.

More than a dozen businesses closed, some of which had been open for more than a half century. The struggles of local business owners to keep their doors open make the topic No. 5 on the list of the Cañon City Daily Record's top 10 stories of 2013.

Emmerson Furniture, Creekside Cinema and Merlino's Belvedere each filled big roles in the Cañon City area.

"This business is just like any other business," owner of Emmerson Furniture Brady Emmerson said in February. "You have good days, and you have lots of days no one comes in. We've had good employees. I hate the fact we have to close. It's not anything I've done wrong or anybody else. It's just the economic conditions aren't good."

Emmerson Furniture was in business for 105 years. Merlino's Belvedere will close Tuesday after 67 years.

"We struggled for many years, and I think our menu prices have been up, and you can't just continue to increase prices," Mike Merlino said to the Cañon City Daily Record. "Less and less people come out every time you do a menu price increase."

Coyote's Coffee Den and Knosh's Deli also went out of business in the Creekside Shopping Center.

"Over the last couple of years, as the economy struggled, it's been very stressful on me and my family," Pete Mugasis said in June.

Mugasis co-owned Coyote's Coffee Den in the Creekside Mall with his wife, Rhea.

The Dinosaur Depot's closure affected a group of people in the area, too. Other local businesses that closed included House of Deals Bookstore, EvoTat and The Bar (formerly known as Griffin's). Franchises that closed in Cañon City were KFC and Denny's.

Still, other businesses were forced to cut positions because of the poor economy or the Royal Gorge Fire, which was the case of the Royal Gorge Bridge & Park. The City of Cañon City also laid off employees, a decision that stemmed from the fire.

Also hurt were businesses that rely heavily on tourism dollars, such as rafting companies and the ones at the top of Eight Mile Hill that piggyback off the Royal Gorge Bridge & Park visitors.

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